‘We Are Xbox’ Commitment is Made Internally, Shown Through Memo Sent to Employees

Xbox is seemingly planting its flag to ensure that it is not going anywhere in the short term. The company has re-upped a firm “We Are Xbox” commitment, led by new leaders Asha Sharma and Matt Booty.

An internal memo has been shared publicly by the company on Xbox Wire. In it, the company makes broad statements about its place in the marketplace. However, most noteworthy, Xbox makes a few firm recommitments within the space, prioritizing “hardware, content, experience, and services.”

“Our new north star will be daily active players,” the memo says. Sharma and Booty then go on to explain that the company will move forward with Project Helix, the company’s next console, and work toward its ability to “lead in performance and play your console and PC games.” Other notable commitments include building “a strong ecosystem that expands choice and reach.”

The company goes on to state that it looks towards evolving third-party partnerships to strengthen its “5-year slate.” Xbox sees potential growth in China and emerging markets with “mobile-first audiences.” Plus, Xbox is seemingly going to nurture “creator-centric platforms like Minecraft, The Elder Scrolls, and Sea of Thieves.”

“Along the way, we will reevaluate our approach to exclusivity, windowing, and AI, and share more as we learn and decide,” the memo reads. Unfortunately, the new leadership heads don’t detail any new structure for first-party exclusivity windows.

The Xbox brand has seen a tumultuous few years. Following the $69 billion USD (around $96 billion CAD) acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a microscope has been placed over the brand by Microsoft leadership. Xbox was reportedly forced to hit above-average industry profit margins, with an aggressive goal of 30 percent as a means of recouping costs. This resulted in game cancellations, price hikes, and layoffs over the past three years. Last year, Microsoft laid off over 15,000 employees, cutting redundancies following its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Earlier this year, former head of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer stepped down as CEO, with president of Xbox Sarah Bond also leaving the company. Asha Sharma then came in to take over with Matt Booty being promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer.

As part of the new leadership takeover, Sharma is prioritizing a “return of Xbox.” In two months of stepping into the role, the new CEO has dismantled the controversial “This is an Xbox” ad campaign. Alongside this, the company has debuted a brand new logo for the Xbox brand and is seemingly shifting away from “Microsoft Gaming.”

“Our best work happens when the full stack moves together,” Sharma and Booty note. “Microsoft Gaming” describes our structure but it does not describe our ambition. So, we are going back to where we started and changing our team’s name.”